Ratnagiri

Konkan Coast district in Maharashtra, known for Alphonso mangoes between the Sahyadri hills and Arabian Sea.

Ratnagiri district stretches along the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, wedged between the Sahyadri hills and the Arabian Sea. This is mango country -- the source of India's prized Alphonso (Hapus) mangoes -- but it is also a coastline of surprising beauty, with long empty beaches, temple-topped headlands, and quiet fishing villages that feel a world away from Mumbai.

The district runs roughly 180 kilometres north to south, covering nine talukas from Mandangad in the north to Rajapur in the south. Inland, the Western Ghats rise steeply, with dense forests, waterfalls that come alive during the monsoon, and mountain forts that once guarded Maratha territory. Along the coast, you will find a mix of rocky cliffs and sandy beaches, many of them deserted even on weekends.

Ganpatipule is the best-known destination -- a beachside temple town that draws both pilgrims and holidaymakers. Chiplun is the main inland town, a gateway to the Sahyadri forests and the crocodile-inhabited backwaters of Govalkot. Dapoli, perched on a plateau overlooking the sea, has a cluster of beaches and the ancient Buddhist caves at Panhalekaji.

Ratnagiri town itself, the district headquarters, has a quiet charm — the Thiba Palace (where the last king of Burma was exiled by the British), the hilltop Ratnadurga Fort, and Bhatye Beach on the edge of town. The Tilak Ali Museum celebrates the birthplace of Lokmanya Tilak, the freedom fighter who declared swaraj "my birthright." The food alone is worth the trip: fresh seafood cooked Malvani-style, sol kadhi with coconut and kokum, and during mango season (April to June) the best Alphonso you will ever taste, straight from the orchards.

Getting here from Mumbai takes five to seven hours by road along the winding Konkan coast, or you can take the Konkan Railway -- the train ride through tunnels and over bridges in the Western Ghats is spectacular in its own right.

Guide

Eating Out

Ratnagiri's food is Malvani cooking at its most authentic — a coastal cuisine built on fresh seafood, coconut, kokum, and the fierce red chillies that distinguish it from the blander coastal food you might find elsewhere in India. Alphonso mangoes (locally called Hapus) are the other obsession, available from April to June and eaten fresh, in aamras (sweetened puree), or with puri as a proper Konkan breakfast.

Look for small restaurants and dhabas along the waterfront and near the fish market. The freshest fish of the morning is usually on the grill by lunchtime. Sol kadhi — a cold, pink drink of coconut milk and kokum — is the essential accompaniment to a Malvani fish thali and one of the best things you can eat in Maharashtra.

Guide

Things to Do

Ratnagiri town sits on a rocky headland where the Bhatye Creek meets the Arabian Sea, and the town's best sights are clustered around that promontory. The district beyond the town rewards those willing to drive the winding coastal roads: ancient forts, near-empty beaches, and the thick Sahyadri forests to the east.

Guide

When to Go

The best months to visit Ratnagiri are November through February, when the weather is dry, temperatures are in the mid-twenties, and the sea is calm enough for the beaches. March and April are hot and dry.

April to June is mango season — the Alphonso orchards around Ratnagiri are at their peak, and coming specifically for the mangoes is not an eccentric reason to visit. The local market fills with crates of Hapus, and you can buy directly from growers.

The monsoon (June to September) brings heavy rain and rough seas. Road travel can be slow and some coastal spots are inaccessible, but the Sahyadri hills are dramatically green and the waterfalls inland are at their fullest. This is not a bad time to visit if you like rain and emptiness — you will often have the beaches entirely to yourself.